Essentials of Pediatric Nursing edited by Brian
it a 3rd edition for 2026
The nurse is interviewing an adolescent. What should the nurse recognize
as an important aspect of interviewing the adolescent?
Adolescents will share more about themselves in a private conversation.
Adolescents will not likely share information related to sexual
relationships or to use of substances.
Adolescents should be asked if they would like a peer in the room during
the interview.
Adolescents will talk more openly if their caregiver is in the same room.
in a room with a child near the same age
The nurse is obtaining the health history for a 9-year-old child who has
been brought to the ambulatory care clinic with reports of a backache.
Which initial action by the nurse is most appropriate?
Ask the child to demonstrate movements involving the back.
Ask the child's parent about when the parent was first made aware of the
discomfort.
Palpate the child's back while asking the severity of discomfort being
experienced.
Ask the child when the pain started.
Ask the child when the pain started.
A 12-year-old client is hospitalized. Which finding will the nurse expect
while providing care to this client?
uncomfortable during genital assessment
separation anxiety
,refusal of treatments
inability to understand explanation
uncomfortable during genital assessment
A preschooler is admitted to the pediatric floor for dehydration and is
frightened. Which nursing intervention would be least effective in
alleviating the child's anxiety?
Encourage a caregiver to stay with the child when possible.
Explain all procedures using medical terminology.
Assign the child to the same nurse each day.
Allow the child to handle the blood pressure cuff before using it.
Explain all procedures using medical terminology.
The nurse is establishing a long-term relationship with a child who will be
seeking treatment for cancer. What is the most important factor in this
relationship?
determining appointment times for meetings
establishing a timeline for the relationship
establishing trust
setting goals for the relationship
establishing trust
The nurse is preparing to conduct the cover test with a preschool-age
child. Which body system is the nurse preparing to assess?
Ears
Eyes
Neck
Nose
Eyes
,While at school, the client is called to the school nurse's office. The
school nurse is performing secondary prevention interventions. Which
would the nurse most likely be performing?
assessing vision
checking temperature
asking the client if he or she likes school
asking the client about what he or she usually eats each day
assessing vision
The nurse is taking the health history of a 15-year-old client. What would
be an appropriate way for the nurse to ask about the client's drug use
history?
"Have you smoked crack before?"
"Some teens like to smoke. Have you tried this?"
"Have you had alcohol at parties before?"
"Have you smoked cigarettes?"
"Some teens like to smoke. Have you tried this?"
The nurse is caring for a 6-year-old client who is prescribed to cough and
deep breathe following surgery. Which nursing action is best for this
client?
Arrange for respiratory therapy to do coughing and deep breathing
exercises with the child.
Blow a pinwheel and bubbles with the child.
Have the parents encourage the child to cough and deep breathe every 2
hours.
Teach the child to use an incentive spirometer.
Blow a pinwheel and bubbles with the child.
, A toddler is brought to the pediatric clinic by the caregiver because the
child "doesn't feel well." As the nurse interviews the caregiver about why
the client is there, which goal is the nurse prioritizing at this point?
Obtaining the health history
Determining the chief complaint
Obtaining biographical data
Interviewing the client
Determining the chief complaint
The parents of an 8 year-old state, "I am happy that our child is healthy,"
when the nurse says that the child falls into the 95th percentile for BMI.
How should the nurse respond?
"For a child a BMI between the 85th and 95th percentile alerts us to the
risk for being overweight. Let's talk about your child's diet and activity
level."
"Being in the 95th percentile for BMI is not a good thing. Your child is on
the verge of obesity. It would be a good idea to consider this with meal
planning."
"I will let the physician know that your child is in the 95th percentile for
BMI."
"The 95th percentile is not an indication of health."
"For a child a BMI between the 85th and 95th percentile alerts us
to the risk for being overweight. Let's talk about your child's diet
and activity level."
The nurse is preparing to assess the respiratory rate of a crying 15-month-
old boy. To get the most accurate assessment, what approach should the
nurse take?
Count abdominal movements.
it a 3rd edition for 2026
The nurse is interviewing an adolescent. What should the nurse recognize
as an important aspect of interviewing the adolescent?
Adolescents will share more about themselves in a private conversation.
Adolescents will not likely share information related to sexual
relationships or to use of substances.
Adolescents should be asked if they would like a peer in the room during
the interview.
Adolescents will talk more openly if their caregiver is in the same room.
in a room with a child near the same age
The nurse is obtaining the health history for a 9-year-old child who has
been brought to the ambulatory care clinic with reports of a backache.
Which initial action by the nurse is most appropriate?
Ask the child to demonstrate movements involving the back.
Ask the child's parent about when the parent was first made aware of the
discomfort.
Palpate the child's back while asking the severity of discomfort being
experienced.
Ask the child when the pain started.
Ask the child when the pain started.
A 12-year-old client is hospitalized. Which finding will the nurse expect
while providing care to this client?
uncomfortable during genital assessment
separation anxiety
,refusal of treatments
inability to understand explanation
uncomfortable during genital assessment
A preschooler is admitted to the pediatric floor for dehydration and is
frightened. Which nursing intervention would be least effective in
alleviating the child's anxiety?
Encourage a caregiver to stay with the child when possible.
Explain all procedures using medical terminology.
Assign the child to the same nurse each day.
Allow the child to handle the blood pressure cuff before using it.
Explain all procedures using medical terminology.
The nurse is establishing a long-term relationship with a child who will be
seeking treatment for cancer. What is the most important factor in this
relationship?
determining appointment times for meetings
establishing a timeline for the relationship
establishing trust
setting goals for the relationship
establishing trust
The nurse is preparing to conduct the cover test with a preschool-age
child. Which body system is the nurse preparing to assess?
Ears
Eyes
Neck
Nose
Eyes
,While at school, the client is called to the school nurse's office. The
school nurse is performing secondary prevention interventions. Which
would the nurse most likely be performing?
assessing vision
checking temperature
asking the client if he or she likes school
asking the client about what he or she usually eats each day
assessing vision
The nurse is taking the health history of a 15-year-old client. What would
be an appropriate way for the nurse to ask about the client's drug use
history?
"Have you smoked crack before?"
"Some teens like to smoke. Have you tried this?"
"Have you had alcohol at parties before?"
"Have you smoked cigarettes?"
"Some teens like to smoke. Have you tried this?"
The nurse is caring for a 6-year-old client who is prescribed to cough and
deep breathe following surgery. Which nursing action is best for this
client?
Arrange for respiratory therapy to do coughing and deep breathing
exercises with the child.
Blow a pinwheel and bubbles with the child.
Have the parents encourage the child to cough and deep breathe every 2
hours.
Teach the child to use an incentive spirometer.
Blow a pinwheel and bubbles with the child.
, A toddler is brought to the pediatric clinic by the caregiver because the
child "doesn't feel well." As the nurse interviews the caregiver about why
the client is there, which goal is the nurse prioritizing at this point?
Obtaining the health history
Determining the chief complaint
Obtaining biographical data
Interviewing the client
Determining the chief complaint
The parents of an 8 year-old state, "I am happy that our child is healthy,"
when the nurse says that the child falls into the 95th percentile for BMI.
How should the nurse respond?
"For a child a BMI between the 85th and 95th percentile alerts us to the
risk for being overweight. Let's talk about your child's diet and activity
level."
"Being in the 95th percentile for BMI is not a good thing. Your child is on
the verge of obesity. It would be a good idea to consider this with meal
planning."
"I will let the physician know that your child is in the 95th percentile for
BMI."
"The 95th percentile is not an indication of health."
"For a child a BMI between the 85th and 95th percentile alerts us
to the risk for being overweight. Let's talk about your child's diet
and activity level."
The nurse is preparing to assess the respiratory rate of a crying 15-month-
old boy. To get the most accurate assessment, what approach should the
nurse take?
Count abdominal movements.
